Mail-bag lock



(No Model.)

D. P. BROPHY.

, MAIL BAG LOCK. No. 331,474. Patented Deo. l, 1885L BY W@ ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. Pnvlo-Lnhngmphn. wnshingmn, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DENNIS P. BROPHY, OF NOKOMIS, ILLINOIS.

MAIL-BAG LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 331,474, dated December 1, 1885.

Application filed September 9, 1885. Serial No. 176,595. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DENNIs P. BEoPHY, of

"Nokomis, in the county of Montgomery and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Mail-Bag Lock, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved Inail-bag lock which is simple in construction, safe and reliable, and is adapted to Ieceive and hold a return-ticket.

rlhe invention consists in the construction and Vcombination of parts and details, as will be fully described and set forth hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a face view of my improved Inail-bag lock. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a crosssectional view.

A is the lockcasing,having the recessed partition B. D are the locking bars, pressed against the partition B by the springs E, which bars D have locking-lugs F. K is the key-pin for guiding the key. N is the front plate, prov vided with the longitudinal rib 0 on its under side, which rib fits in between the partitions B. The plate N and the rib O have akeyslot, R, through which the key can be passed to turn on the pin K.

The above-described parts form the subject of a separate application recently allowed me, and I will not further describe them. I forni on the plate N, at one side of the key-hole, a ticket-receptacle open at the end adjacent to the key-hole, and on the other side of the keyhole a slide is placed adapted to close the open end of the ticket-receptacle and the key-hole.4

I prefer to form' these parts as follows:

On the top surface of the plate N undercut ribs S are formed for receiving and holding a l ticket, T, on which the station to Which the pouch is to be returned, or the return-route of the pouch, the post division, 8m., are printed, stamped, or otherwise produced. A sliding plate, U, having one end rabbeted to hold the end edge of the ticket T, as shown in Fig. 2, is provided on its under side with a longitudinal dovetailed lug projection or tongue, V, which slides in a dovetailed recess, NV, in the top of the plate N. 'Ihe plate U has a iingerrecess, U', in its upper surface, and the said plate U also serves to cover the key-slot R.

The lock-casing A is fastened to one flap, I, of the mail-pouch or other bag, and the top plate, N, to the other flap, I.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a mail-bag lock, the combination, with the plate N, having a key-hole slot, and a ticket-receptacle on said plate to one side of the keyhole slot, of a slide mounted in Ways on the plate N in line with the open end of the ticket-receptacle, and adapted to slide over the key-hole slot and to close the open end of the ticket-receptacle, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the plate N, having a key-hole slot and a ticket-receptacle at one side of said slot, consisting of undercut ribs S, closed at their outerends and open at their inner ends, of the ways in the plate N on the opposite side of the key-hole slot, and the sliding plate U, having undercut edges working in said ways and having its end adjacent to the ribs S, rabbeted to secure the ticket in place, substantially as set forth.

DENNIS l?. BROPHY. Witnesses:

J. W. RUSSELL, Jas. F. KINNEY. 

